reliance

American  

[ri-lahy-uhns] / rɪˈlaɪ əns /

noun

1. confident or trustful dependence.

   Synonyms:

   assurance, faith, trust, confidence

2. confidence.

3. something or someone relied on.

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reliance British  

/ rɪˈlaɪəns /

noun

1. dependence, confidence, or trust

2. something or someone upon which one relies

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Other Word Forms

• misreliance noun
• nonreliance noun
• overreliance noun
• reliant adjective
• reliantly adverb
• superreliance noun

Etymology

Origin of reliance

First recorded in 1600–10; rely + -ance

Example Sentences

UPS has faced a barrage of challenges since it unveiled plans in January 2025 to significantly slash its reliance on Amazon deliveries.

From The Wall Street Journal

He has been an outspoken Fed critic, lambasting everything from the central bank's heavy reliance on data to its use of assets on its balance sheet.

From BBC

In addition to possessing fewer resources and lacking official imprimatur, nonprofit organizations, with more flexible budgets but also more reliance on donors, are geared towards actionable projects rather than long-term maintenance that require massive investments.

From Salon

Operators are now offering free hotel stays and other perks while expanding concerts and non-gambling activities, driving up business costs as the government pushes Macau to reduce its reliance on casinos.

From Barron's

Some investors are wary of the Instagram owner’s pivot away from a reliance on advertising revenue, with the company’s ability to make money from its AI projects under scrutiny, Swissquote analyst Ipek Ozkardeskaya writes.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• dependence